How To: Hydraulic Boat Steering Cable Replacement

I have many years of experience on the water as a charter captain. Many things are important with regards to maintenance of my boat. My boat is my livelihood. Whether taking people on fishing trips, or local excursions to see the local sites, performance for my boat is paramount. Recently, I had some issues with the steering in my boat being sluggish and simply not as responsive as I would like it to be. So, I thought I would write this post to provide you with some information of how to know when it is time to replace your hydraulic boat steering cable. In this post I will provide tips on what to expect as far as cost, time, and materials needed to repair, as well as what type of kit to look for in order to replace your hydraulic boat steering cable.

Hydraulic Boat Steering Cable Replacement Tips

One of the most important things to know when replacing your hydraulic boat steering cable is to examine this at least once a year. Preventative maintenance is very important. If you examine the cables before they fail, you will eliminate major issues as far as cost and repair to you boat. Secondly, I recommend you look for a quality hydraulic boat steering cable. Do not buy the cheapest cable out there. If you do this, you will often get a lower quality product that will fail sooner and have a lower level of performance. Finally, look for a trusted name or brand that has been in business for some time. Companies that have been in this business a long time, such as SeaStar Solutions, typically manufacture quality hydraulic boat steering cables.

Hydraulic Boat Steering Cable Replacement Parts Needed

Your typical hydraulic boat steering cable replacement kit will need to have the following items: a a hydraulic steering fluid kit, hydraulic pump, a cylinder, and a tubing kit. In addition you will typically need a wrench, and towels for cleanup if you plan on doing the repair yourself. When purchasing this kit, keep in mind that you need all of these parts to do the job properly. Now in this era of the internet, in addition to the instruction booklet, there are many Youtube videos illustrating how to do these types of repairs if you are a visual person. You can also check out http://seaknights.com/ for a complete hydraulic boat steering guide.

Hydraulic Boat Steering Cable Replacement Cost

Cost is a very subjective issue when replacing your hydraulic boat steering cable. A good quality kit will cost you in the neighborhood of $150-$300. If you do the labor yourself, you can save several hundreds more. In addition, you will have the satisfaction of knowing how to install the cable and do the repair yourself. Many boat owners prefer to do the repair themselves, as they do not have to worry about entrusting someone else to do the job in the correct manner. My advice is to get the $150-$300 cable kit, and to not go the cheaper avenue, because the quality and performance you will receive will directly correspond with the cost of the repair kit.

After installing the boat steering cable kit, I can now steer my boat much more effectively and I have the peace of mind that my new hydraulic boat steering cable will last a long time. Hopefully, this account of my experience has helped to assist you in understanding this process better.

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